by Pi Accountancy | Dec 19, 2025 | Advisory and Resources, Business, HMRC, Regulations and Schemes, VAT
VAT on hot food often causes confusion for businesses and customers alike. One of the most high-profile and closely watched VAT disputes involved Morrisons and its rotisserie chickens. After a lengthy legal battle, the First-Tier Tax Tribunal have ruled against...
by Pi Accountancy | Nov 6, 2025 | HMRC
Starting from 2026, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will gain new powers to check the financial eligibility of certain benefit claimants. These powers fall under the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill and should save around £940 million...
by Pi Accountancy | Nov 5, 2025 | HMRC
The “Failure to Prevent Fraud” offense means a large organisation can be held criminally liable if it benefits from fraud committed by an employee, agent or another associate acting on its behalf. This offence applies even if the organisation did not...
by Pi Accountancy | Oct 29, 2025 | Advisory and Resources, HMRC, Taxes
Dealing with HMRC can often feel like navigating a maze. Fortunately, you do not need to manage everything on your own. You can authorise an agent or someone you trust to act on your behalf. This allows them to handle your tax affairs directly with HMRC while you stay...
by Pi Accountancy | Oct 22, 2025 | HMRC
The Government Gateway is the UK’s system for accessing many HMRC services, including managing your personal and business taxes. If you’re new to the Government Gateway, this guide will walk you through the process of setting up your account, holding tax...
by Pi Accountancy | Oct 21, 2025 | HMRC, Taxes
The Personal Tax Account has changed the way taxpayers handle their tax affairs. Since its launch in December 2015, millions of people have used this online service to manage their taxes. What is a Personal Tax Account? Before the introduction of digital tax services,...
by Pi Accountancy | Oct 15, 2025 | Advisory and Resources, Companies House, HMRC
Accessing different government services online used to mean juggling a long list of usernames, passwords and sign-in methods. Some departments shared common systems, such as Government Gateway, but many still maintained their own separate logins. Now, the government...
by Pi Accountancy | Sep 30, 2025 | HMRC, Taxes
HMRC has relaunched a scheme that allows it to access take unpaid taxes directly from people’s bank accounts. If you owe at least £1,000 and ignore repeated reminders, HMRC can now instruct your bank or building society to release the funds. This includes money...
by Pi Accountancy | Sep 9, 2025 | Advisory and Resources, HMRC, Taxes
When sending large sums of money to HMRC, many taxpayers only feel at ease once they confirm their payment has cleared. The good news is that checking whether HMRC has received your payment is simple. Who Needs to Pay Tax to HMRC? Not everyone needs to pay HMRC...
by Pi Accountancy | Aug 14, 2025 | HMRC
HMRC is facing mounting criticism over long delays in processing tax refunds. In cases, individuals and businesses have been waiting more than four months to receive their money. This marks a sharp increase from the previous average of four to six weeks. For small...
by Pi Accountancy | Jul 29, 2025 | Advisory and Resources, HMRC, Self-Employed
Whether you are launching a freelance career or building a full-time business, the first step is to register as Self-Employed with HMRC. This makes sure you declare your income properly and that you meet all legal obligations. What Does It Mean to Be Self Employed?...
by Pi Accountancy | Jul 9, 2025 | HMRC, Self Assessment, Taxes
If you are self-employed or submit a Self Assessment tax return, you should be familiar with Payments on Account. These advance payments help spread the cost of your tax bill across the year, preventing one large lump sum. The Second Payment on Account is fast...
by Pi Accountancy | Jul 8, 2025 | Companies House, HMRC, Regulations and Schemes
Every limited company in the UK must file Annual Accounts. These accounts, often referred to as Statutory Accounts, provide a detailed and transparent view of your company’s financial position over the past year. Filing these accounts is a legal obligation. What...
by Pi Accountancy | Jun 17, 2025 | HMRC
HMRC Interest Rates are a major consideration for business owners. These rates, now firmly tied to the Bank of England Base Rate, bring sharper consequences for late payments and a clearer reward system for overpayments. How HMRC Sets Interest Rates Legislation...
by Pi Accountancy | Jun 9, 2025 | Companies House, HMRC
From 31st March 2026, the Joint Filing Service provided by HMRC and Companies House will permanently close. This long-standing and free service has allowed small companies to submit both their Annual Accounts and Company Tax Return in one convenient step. However,...
by Pi Accountancy | Jun 6, 2025 | HMRC
HMRC has reported a loss of £47m due to a large-scale phishing scam which targeted the UK tax system in 2024. Organised crime gangs carried out this fraud by exploiting stolen personal information to create new tax accounts or by hijacking existing ones. Using these...
by Pi Accountancy | Feb 6, 2025 | HMRC
A Time to Pay arrangement is an agreement with HMRC to pay tax debts in instalments, rather than in one lump sum. This scheme covers most types of tax debts, including: Corporation Tax PAYE Self Assessment VAT You will make monthly payments via Direct Debit. While the...
by Pi Accountancy | Nov 14, 2024 | HMRC
Going Paperless with the HMRC App If you find yourself puzzled by the absence of your usual Self Assessment letter, you’re not alone. HMRC is reducing the number of paper communication it sends, encouraging taxpayers to manage their affairs digitally. If you’re...
by Pi Accountancy | Oct 1, 2024 | HMRC
The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act From 1st October 2024, millions of workers across the UK will see a boost to their earnings, thanks to the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act. This new law has been put in place to allow workers to keep 100% of their tips,...
by Pi Accountancy | Sep 4, 2024 | Frequently Asked Questions, HMRC, Taxes
Tax Investigation Insurance is a specific type of cover that protects you from the professional fees you will incur if HMRC investigates your tax affairs. These tax investigations can come from irregularities in your tax returns or entirely at random. The insurance...
by Pi Accountancy | Sep 3, 2024 | Frequently Asked Questions, HMRC, Taxes
An HMRC Tax Investigation, also known as a compliance check, is an official review of an individual’s or business’s tax records. HMRC wants to confirm that they are calculating and paying their taxes correctly. These investigations therefore allow HMRC to...
by Pi Accountancy | Jul 9, 2024 | HMRC
Tax in the UK follows a progressive structure, meaning the more you earn, the higher the percentage of tax you pay on the additional income. This blog covers the tax bands, allowances and rates for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 tax years. Your Tax-Free Personal Allowance...
by Pi Accountancy | May 29, 2024 | HMRC, Self Assessment, Taxes
Payments on Account are advance payments towards your tax bill, based on your earnings from the previous year. HMRC assumes your income will remain the same and calculates your tax bill accordingly. Instead of paying your full tax bill in one lump sum, you make 2...
by Pi Accountancy | May 9, 2024 | HMRC
P11D Deadline As we approach the July deadline, employers across the UK need to prepare for the submission of any P11D forms. These documents report the value of any benefits in kind. These are non-cash benefits that employees or directors receive from their company...
